Honeycomb uncapper



D. S. CRANE HONEYCOMB UNCAPPER Sept. 7, 1948.

Filed April 29, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor p 7, 1948. D. s. CRANE2,448,775

HONEYCOMB UNCAPPER Filed April 29, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In ventor Dk/yJ. CEfi/VE By 6 m WW Zi; Aiiorr ley Patented Sept. 7, 1948 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE HON EYCOMB UNCAPPER Dan S. Crane, Shelbyville, Ill.,assignor to Robert Bruce Crane, Shelbyville, Ill.

2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in means forremoving the cappings from honeycombs preparatory to the frames of honeybeing placed in the usual honey extractor.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a machine whicheliminates the use of knives or heat for uncapping honeycombs andprovides a brushing effect for brushing away the honeycomb cap.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will "become apparent tothe reader of the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a, top plan view of the machine.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view.

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially onthe line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially onthe line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, itcan be seen that numeral 5 denotes an elongated table having a slot way6 extending longitudinally thereof and operative in this slotway is anendless conveyor 1 having lugs 8 thereon and between which honeycombframes 9 (see Figure 2) can be set.

This conveyor 1 is trained over rolls l'0, H at the opposite ends of thetable 5, the roll I being located on a shaft l2 which at its outer endhas a pulley l3 over which a belt I4 is trained, this belt also beingtrained over a pulley l which is driven by a. belt I6 from a motoroperated pulley I 1. At intermediate portion of the table 5, the slotway6 is enlarged to a substantially large opening I8 and rising from thetable 5 at the edge portion of this opening I8 is a fence structure I9.An inverted U-shaped frame 20 helps to support this fence in place, thisframe having a horizontal portion a vertically through which shafts 2|,21 are journaled, the lower ends of these shafts being disposed throughbearings 22 located on a bridge member 23 bridging the opening l8.Rotary brushes 24 are carried by the shafts 2| and the shafts 2| areequipped with pulleys 25 which are driven by a belt 26, 21, the latterbeing trained over the motor operated pulley IT.

The fence I9 is provided with entrance and exit doors '28, 29, thesedoors being free to swing to permit ingress and egress of the honeycombframes 9.

Mounted at the underside of the portion a of the frame 20 is a springprojected shoe 30 having curved end portions, this shoe serving to holdthe frame snugly in place as it is acted upon by the brushes 24.

It can be seen, that the brushes act on both sides of the frame,brushing away the sealing or capping material and due to the fact thatthe brushes are traveling at a high rate of speed, the capping materialwill, by centrifugal force, be thrown off and against the inside of thefence l9. This material descends the fence wall and passes through theopening l8 into a suitable receptacle under the opening l8.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specificterms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, sizeand materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A honeycomb uncapping device including an elongated rigid table, achannel extending throughout the length thereof, a conveyor beltoperating within the channel, said channnel being enlarged centrally, anenclosure encompassing said enlargement, a decapping means within theenclosure comprising a pair of spaced vertically disposed brushesbetween which said honeycombs may be continually passed on saidconveyor.

2. A honeycomb uncapping device including an elongated rigid table, achannel extending throughout the length thereof, a conveyor beltoperating within the channel, said channel being enlarged centrally, anenclosure encompassing said enlargement, and a decapping means withinthe enclosure.

DAN S. CRANE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,523,963 Hodgson Jan. 20, 19252,272,808 McFayden Feb. 10, 1942

